This richly annotated facsimile edition of “The Foundation of General Relativity” introduces a new generation of readers to Albert Einstein's theory of gravitation. Written in 1915, this remarkable ...
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This richly annotated facsimile edition of “The Foundation of General Relativity” introduces a new generation of readers to Albert Einstein's theory of gravitation. Written in 1915, this remarkable document is a watershed in the history of physics and an enduring testament to the elegance and precision of Einstein's thought. Presented here is a beautiful facsimile of Einstein's original handwritten manuscript, along with its English translation and an insightful page-by-page commentary that places the work in historical and scientific context. The concise introduction traces Einstein's intellectual odyssey from the special to the general theory of relativity, and the chapter “The Charm of a Manuscript” provides a delightful meditation on the varied afterlife of Einstein's text. The book also includes a biographical glossary of the figures discussed in the book, a comprehensive bibliography, suggestions for further reading, and numerous photos and illustrations throughout.Less

The Road to Relativity : The History and Meaning of Einstein's "The Foundation of General Relativity", Featuring the Original Manuscript of Einstein's Masterpiece

Hanoch GutfreundJürgen Renn

Published in print: 2017-05-09

This richly annotated facsimile edition of “The Foundation of General Relativity” introduces a new generation of readers to Albert Einstein's theory of gravitation. Written in 1915, this remarkable document is a watershed in the history of physics and an enduring testament to the elegance and precision of Einstein's thought. Presented here is a beautiful facsimile of Einstein's original handwritten manuscript, along with its English translation and an insightful page-by-page commentary that places the work in historical and scientific context. The concise introduction traces Einstein's intellectual odyssey from the special to the general theory of relativity, and the chapter “The Charm of a Manuscript” provides a delightful meditation on the varied afterlife of Einstein's text. The book also includes a biographical glossary of the figures discussed in the book, a comprehensive bibliography, suggestions for further reading, and numerous photos and illustrations throughout.

This section discusses the story of how Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity evolved into a full-fledged theory. Einstein's manuscript, “The Foundation of General Relativity,” marks the ...
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This section discusses the story of how Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity evolved into a full-fledged theory. Einstein's manuscript, “The Foundation of General Relativity,” marks the conclusion of his intellectual odyssey toward his General Theory of Relativity. He submitted the manuscript for publication to Wilhelm Wien, the editor of Annalen der Physik, on March 19, 1916 and was published on May 11 of the same year. The general relativity manuscript is now part of the Albert Einstein Archives at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In July 1923, Einstein asked Heinrich Loewe, a prominent member of “The Preparatory Board of the Hebrew University and the Jewish National Library in Jerusalem” to sell the manuscript. This section explains how the manuscript of “The Foundation of General Relativity” made its way to the Hebrew University.Less

The Charm of a Manuscript

Hanoch GutfreundJürgen Renn

Published in print: 2017-05-09

This section discusses the story of how Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity evolved into a full-fledged theory. Einstein's manuscript, “The Foundation of General Relativity,” marks the conclusion of his intellectual odyssey toward his General Theory of Relativity. He submitted the manuscript for publication to Wilhelm Wien, the editor of Annalen der Physik, on March 19, 1916 and was published on May 11 of the same year. The general relativity manuscript is now part of the Albert Einstein Archives at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In July 1923, Einstein asked Heinrich Loewe, a prominent member of “The Preparatory Board of the Hebrew University and the Jewish National Library in Jerusalem” to sell the manuscript. This section explains how the manuscript of “The Foundation of General Relativity” made its way to the Hebrew University.